After cutting pieces (couldn't return), I realized that the stair nose was 3/32 to 1/8" shy of 3/4". I know, rookie mistake as I should have taken careful thickness measurements first... It would not have mattered though as all of the stock was milled to thin and we were on a time contraint to finish this room. Had great difficulty mating out 3/4" floor to it. Ended up planing the back of all boards mating to the stair nose and tapering to avoid a step. Also require milling new tongues that inserted into the stair nose. The result was great, but more effort than it should have been.

Wood was very nice, no warps or twists. Finish was reasonable, but not quite as nice as the finish on the matching floor boards.

Service and delivery comments:

Had one stair noise with a tear out from milling. Lumber Liquidators replaced with no hassles.

Great looking product but the machine that mills the board is not set at the exact same height as the machine that does the floor boards. Thus there is a small height difference between the stair nose and floor boards.

The original plan was to purchase the unfinished stair nosing but after seeing and installing the finished nosing there's no comparison. Unless you can spray on coats and coats of poly this product is perfect.

When installing I suggest cutting off the original nosing; takes lots of time but definitely worth it. It probably isn't necessary but I also secured the nosing from underneath using 1.5" screws through the riser.

Yes you can float over any flat solid surface.You can find complete installation instructions on the product page by clicking on the specs tab and then clicking on - Installation Guide.pdfThank you for your question.

After reading the reviews, there seems to be a concern with the product moving, shifting, etc. What's your thought on using nails after a couple of rows to secure the flooring after it's square, then continue on using nails only if needed to finish the project.

This product is a clic together floating floor, fastening it down is not an option.After looking at the reviews for this product; 8 out of 8 were positive.

Answered on 8/10/2011 by customer care 2

Q:

I need a recommendation for a flooring that can hold up to animal traffic. Do you have any suggestions for flooring that is tough and durable?I hope to replace 2 bedrooms one living room a family room and my dining room.

I have a Bellawood floor that holds up extremely well to our Hound Mix, new puppy, and Boxer. Not to mention nieces, nephews, and work shoes. Excellent finish. Harder floors like hickory or exotic will dent less easily. 3/4" hardwood can also be refinished several times. Light colors will hide scratches. Remember nothing is scratch proof but some do better than others.

Our higher warranty Laminate flooring holds up well to dog nails and wear but cannot be refinished. Advantage is it's less expensive both for product and labor. Higher Warranty the better.

Our Schon engineered flooring has 7 coats of Treffert or Klumpp (made in Germany) highly resistant polyurethane finish with aluminum oxide anti-scratch and a 55% gloss. Being a natural material it may dent easier than laminate but it's real wood. Engineered can be refinished carefully once or twice.

For Bamboo our Morning Star brand has a similar finish that Schon and Bellawood has and offers the hardest type of bamboo floor produced, "Stranded". It can be refinished too but only by professionals with bamboo experience as it's a grass product and more difficult than hardwood. Stranded would be my only choice if going with bamboo.

Resilient Vinyl flooring is another tough floor.

Regardless of the floor you choose, keeping nails trimmed is a good idea. Another idea is to cover nails with "vinyl claws covers"

Proper care always helps. For general cleaning a swiffer type system works best. Not one that sprays the floor however. Lightly damp is fine but never soak or flood mop your floor. Have a no shoes policy as much as possible. Use felt pads on all furniture. Sweep often. Urine, when cleaned up quick isn't an issue but if left to dry it can burn finish.

Unlike other flooring Laminates are not compared by or measured for the thickness of the wear layer but are measured (compared) by AC Ratings. This product has an AC 2 rating.What is an AC rating?The common term used to denote the durability level of laminate flooring is its, Abrasion Criteria or “AC” rating. AC ratings are an abbreviated representation of a laminate’s overlay film resistance to abrasion, impact, stains and cigarette burns. The ratings also indicate that the product has been tested for the effects of furniture legs, castors, and swelling along its edges. When a laminate flooring product has a rating, then it has passed all of the test criteria. Failing just one test will disqualify a product. The AC rating levels are designated AC1 through AC5. Each is represented by international pictographs reflecting the product’s application and durability. The primary application is divided into two groups: residential and commercial. Each group is further divided into traffic intensity levels: moderate, general, or heavy. An AC1 rating which is the lowest should only be used in light-traffic area’s. At the other end of the scale is AC5 which is produced for the commercial market and for use in very high-traffic area’s. A laminate flooring rating of AC2 or AC3 is found on flooring tailored to the domestic and residential market. As can be seen, Laminate ratings are beneficial to customers for product comparison shopping. If you are tempted by some very cheap laminate flooring, be cautious, you may find that it hasn't received any type of AC rating indicating it failed to meet the minimum requirements. During product testing, if it fails on just one single test, then approval for that laminate flooring rating is denied. For residential use, a rating of AC3 is perfectly adequate. Typically the higher the laminate flooring rating, the higher the price may be. The test devised for abrasion resistance.

SUBFLOOR REQUIREMENTS -basicsWOOD1. Carpet and pad must always be removed.2. Check for rot, squeaks and repair damages before beginning.3. Subfloor surface must be flat, 3⁄16” within a 6’-foot radius, without dips.4. Any existing wood flooring on concrete subfloors must be removed prior to installation.5. High areas, peaked joints in the subfloor or other ridges in the wood subfloor must be sanded or planed flat and low areas repaired or filled with a Portland cement based leveling compound or covered with a rigid plywood type underlayment.CONCRETE -basics1. Always use a moisture barrier2. Carpet and pad must always be removed.3. Check for elevated moisture and correct before installation4. New concrete must cure for 60 days before any flooring is installed.5. Do not install flooring in a room with a floor drain or sump pump.6. Subfloor surface must be flat, 3⁄16” within a 6’-foot radius, without dips.7. High spots or ridges must be ground down flat. Low areas should be filled in using a Portland cement and latex-based floor leveler.Thank you for your question.You can find complete installation instructions on the product page by clicking on the specs tab and then clicking on - Installation Guide.pdf

Answered on 6/15/2011 by customer care 2

Q:

I HAVE 2 LARGE DOGS AND 4 KIDS= WET FEET SPILLED DRINKS ECT. I WOULD LIKE TO REPLACE FOORING UPSTAIRS ABOUT 1200 SQUARE FEET. WHAT TYPE OF FLOORING IS RECOMMENDED

I have a Bellawood floor that holds up extremely well to our Hound Mix and Boxer. Not to mention nieces, nephews, and work shoes. Excellent finish. Harder floors like hickory or exotic will dent less easily. 3/4" hardwood can also be refinished several times. Light colors will hide scratches. Remember nothing is scratch proof but some do better than others.Our higher warranty Laminate flooring holds up well to dog nails and wear but cannot be refinished. Advantage is it's less expensive both for product and labor. Higher Warranty the better.Our Schon engineered flooring has 7 coats of Treffert or Klumpp (made in Germany) highly resistant polyurethane finish with aluminum oxide anti-scratch and a 55% gloss. Being a natural material it may dent easier than laminate but it's real wood. Engineered can be refinished carefully once or twice.For Bamboo our Morning Star brand has a similar finish that Schon and Bellawood has and offers the hardest type of bamboo floor produced, "Stranded". It can be refinished too but only by professionals with bamboo experience as it's a grass product and more difficult than hardwood. Stranded would be my only choice if going with bamboo;Regardless of the floor you choose, keeping nails trimmed is a good idea.Proper care always helps. For general cleaning a swiffer type system works best. Not one that sprays the floor however. Lightly damp is fine but never soak or flood mop your floor. Have a no shoes policy as much as possible. Use felt pads on all furniture. Sweep often. Spills should be toweled soon. Urine, when cleaned up quick isn't an issue but if left to dry it can burn finish.Bellawood Cleaner works very well, find it here - http:// www.lumberliquidators.com/catalog/section.jsp?categoryId=19